WO COP U;. 8 



Tk Origin of the 

BOOK OF MORMON, 

Together With Ax Account! 

OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS 

— or THE — 

MORMON CHURCH, 

By Rev. S. J. S. Davis. 



PENTECOSTAL PUB. CO., (Incorporated.) 
Louisville, Ky., 
1899. 



T5e Origiu of the 

BOOK OF MORMON, 

Together With An Account 



OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS 

— OF THE — 

MORMON CHURCH, 

By Rev. S. J. S. Davis. 



PENTECOSTAL PUB. CO., (Incorporated.) /W*, 
Louisville, Ky., 
1899. 



26256 ^ 

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE. 



In a recent interview, Lorenzo Snow, President 
of Mormon Church, is reported as saying that at 
the present time there are fourteen hundred 
Mormon missionaries in the field. We know there 
are many, and they have visited nearly every 
community, preaching, distributing literature 
and doing what else they could to make converts- 
to their faith. The people want to know something 
of this strange sect, and they will find the desired 
information in this little volume. The author 
is a local preacher of the M. E. Church, and 
has the highest endorsements as a man of un- 
questioned integrity. We have allowed him to 
tell his story in his own way, having only changed 
the phraseology in a few places. We assure the 
reader that his statements in the following narra- 
tive are in perfect harmony with those of other 
writers of Mormon history, though very much 
more condensed. The revolting facts here given 
are well attested and should be known, in order 
that the people may be protected against the 
wiles of these apostles of darkness. This is the 
only apology we have to offer for placing the 
book before the people. The Publishers. 



PREFACE. 



In this day of many books, the offer of a 
new one to the public is equivalent to the 
promise of something yet unwritten. 

Many books concerning Mormon history 
have been written and published. I am well 
aware that it will be asked how and where 
I came into possession of facts that would 
warrant me in writing upon a subject which 
many think has already been exhausted. To 
such question I will answer: r 

1st. 1 believe I have facts in detail con- 
cerning the origin of the Book of Mormon 
that have never come before the public. 

2d. I have an intimate knowledge concern- 
ing the organization and early history of the 
sect claiming this book as a divine standard. 

3d. The subject of Mormonism has been 



PREFACE. 



brought afresh to the minds of the people by 
the presence among them, for some time 
past, of missionaries of that sect, thus open- 
ing the way for a new discussion of its merits. 

4th. I have been requested to do so by- 
friends who do not believe the preposterous 
claims made by these lusty heralds of a most 
uncouth doctrine. Therefore I write a book. 

My parents and grandparents lived in the 
immediate vicinity of the place where the 
first Mormon church was organized, and were 
well acquainted with all the members both 
before and after the organization. One of 
my mother's brothers settled near Kirtland, 
Ohio, in 1830, and soon after another brother 
and sister settled in Illinois near where Nau- 
voo was afterwards built. These persons 
remained in these respective places until after 
the Mormons left for Utah. To them I am 
indebted for much valuable information that 
I could not have obtained so accurately from 
any other source. 



PREFACE. 



My boyhood and early manhood were 
spent near the cradle of Mormonism. Here 
have I seen and heard their preachers, and I 
have here met with many others who, after a 
short trial, have become disgusted with, and 
left them. These and other circumstances 
which I will not here mention, have con- 
spired to furnish me with facts not hereto- 
fore made known to the public. I will try, 
in my homely way, to tell to those who may 
chance to read this book, such of these facts 
as will assist them to a correct knowledge of 
this strange people; such a knowledge, at 
least, as will be acquired from a true history 
of their origin. At the same time I can not 
well forbear making some comments to direct 
the mind to the falsity of their claims, and to 
the evils of their teachings. But while I 
give descriptions of characters, either as given 
to me by those personally acquainted with 
them or as I knew them myself, I shall con- 
fine myself to facts, and let the readers form 



PREFACE. 



their own conclusions. 

Hoping all will give heed to the warnings 
and be benefitted by reading and searching 
after the truth, I commend this work to Him 
who with a "straw can thresh mountains;" 
and, asking His blessing on this little straw, 
I remain your friend, S. J. S. Davis. 




INTRODUCTION. 



Mormonism, since its rise, has at all times 
elicited much interest. The fact of a new 
star of religious teaching springing suddenly 
and unexpectedly into the already crowded 
sectarian galaxy, would of itself be sufficient 
to call forth questions of surprise and inter- 
est. Especially would this be true if the new 
appearance were so unlike the prevailing 
schools of religious thought as to involve 
principles exactly their opposite. If it 
should not only oppose the recognized prin- 
ciples of ethical truth, but should go farther 
and transgress the prevailing social restraints 
and laws of morality, the wonder would cer- 
tainly deepen. But when it adds to all of 
these strange features the claim that it was 
suddenly spoken into existence by a direct 
heavenly dictum, independent of pre-existing 

laws, sacred or profane, and is sustained by 
7 



INTRODUCTION. 



frequent and immediate revelations from 
heaven, it is time for sincere people to ask a 
question or two relative to this great wonder. 
Now this is the unparalleled position taken 
by this most unparalleled of religious sects. 

The world has asked questions. Plenty 
of them. But few, however, have been satis- 
factorily answered. Mormons seek the shades 
of mystery, and the denser the shade, the 
better the cause of Mormonism is served. 
But this is a practical age, and mysteries and 
revelations do not satisfy. The world de- 
mands credentials and her demand is just. 
As the reader advances in this little book he 
will be shown some stubborn interrogation j 
points against which Mormonism is com- » 
pelled to run while trying to support her 
preposterous claims and work her hidden 
wonders in the world. 

As in this age of much reading and rapid 
advancement one always wants to know some- 
thing of the author of a book to which his 
8 



INTRODUCTION. 



attention is invited. I will at this point 
gratify the reader by inserting a scrap taken 
from what the author at first intended for his 
preface, but after writing, rejected for rea- 
sons of modesty: 

" In the immediate vicinity of the birth- 
place of this sect three families settled in the 
beginning of this century. The Bancrofts, 
of which the celebrated historian of that 
name is a worthy representative. Edward 
Eggleston, the writer of many works, repre- 
sents another. Dr. Stowell, a well-known 
medical writer, is the representative of the 
other. My mother was a Stowell. Her 
mother was a Bancroft and her grandmother 
an Eggleston. From my mother, who was 
bom in the year 1800, and from others of the 
above named families, I have learned the first 
part of this history, and later on were added 
those facts which came under my personal 
observation." 

I will add to this my own description of 

9 



INTRODUCTION. 



the author as I know him personally. An 
old man, but with a vigorous constitution 
and a remarkable memory. A man of close 
and scrutinizing, as well as extensive obser- 
vation, having the blood of historians run- 
ning in his veins; he has always, with the 
instinct of a true historian, gathered and kept 
in store as his own property, the knowledge 
of passing events. He is not what one would 
term a brilliant conversationalist, but to one 
in search of historic facts, his companionship 
becomes a priceless boon. For some years 
he has given lectures on the subject of Mor- 
monism and other historic themes, and it 
was while hearing him talk on the subject 
before us, that the writer felt moved to urge 
upon him the importance of writing a short 
and concise history, giving the most salient 
features connected with the rise and develop- 
ment of this sect. 

Much history of Mormonism is extant, but 

it is usually in books of so large and unwieldy 
10 



INTRODUCTION. 



proportions that the busy people havs not 
time to read them. But there are some 
things that all ought to read. Here is a 
gigantic fungus of curious form and doubtful 
utility, springing forth in this nineteenth 
century, and yet standing defiant and bold in 
all its deformity and ugliness among the 
fruitful bowers of our modern schools of the- 
ology. 

At sight of this moral and ethical mon- 
strosity, the student at once asks in wonder, 
What is it? Whence is it? To answer the 
first, an analysis is necessary. One by one 
we examine its constituent elements. They 
are many and various, but the ethical critic 
will begin instinctively to make three great 
heaps of the parts thus separated. These 
divisions will represent the objects for which 
the enterprise exists. 

The first, and by far the largest, of the 

heaps would need no label. It answers every 

test of carnal gratification, and so we will let 
11 



INTRODUCTION. 



it stand for that. Into this loathsome pile 
will be dumped great masses of polygamy 
and licentiousness, cart loads of robbery and 
theft, all spread over and covered up with 
superstitious teachings, and moistened 
throughout with the tears of fallen and 
broken lives, mingled with the blood of 
many human victims. 

Another heap much smaller than the first 
and quite subordinate in purpose, will be 
labeled politics. We must label this division 
because its elements are so strangely propor- 
tioned that it, in turn, requires analysis in 
order to be known. Here of course enters 
great interest in the right of franchise, coup- 
led with woman suffrage. This would per- 
haps be proper enough, only woman's suf- 
frage is joined so neatly and indistinguisha- 
bly to man's suffrage as to simply amount to 
double the latter; which means, husband var- 
salage, and both loyally handed over to the 

head of the concern, who at last gets all the 
12 



INTRODUCTION. 



benefit of the franchise. Then here is politi- 
cal trickery, corruption and fraud, but we 
have seen these things before. Perhaps not 
in the same proportion exactly, but they are 
not altogether strange to us. 

The third heap is a religious one. But it 
is so small and lies so close against the base 
of the largest one that their elements mingle 
almost imperceptibly. So we will label this 
in good large letters Mormon Religion, so 
that the passer by may know that it is relig- 
ion at all. Here we have a few beliefs and 
ceremonies common to other religious orders, 
but here we also find a great many ceremo- 
nies peculiarly Mormon. It is these that the 
investigator" is looking at when he says he is 
in doubt as to the nature of the heap and 
whether it ought not to have been dumped 
on the one already largest, for certainly 
many of its elements partake of that nature. 
But however strange and incongruous some 

of these parts may appear under this label, 
13 



INTRODUCTION. 



they are taught as religious truth, by which 
the soul is to get from earth to heaven. 

Now for a close and better analysis of this 
great and sudden outgrowth, the reader is 
referred to the body of the work. 

The other question, whence is it? is so 
well and satisfactorily treated further on that 
I will not attempt to even indicate an answer. 

I will only say that the beginning of this 
century was a favorable time for something 
to arise, and something did arise. The lin- 
gering phantasies of witchcraft and other 
superstitions still hovered over many minds. 
Seers, spiritualists and prophets nourished, 
while the earth was ransacked for relics of 
strange historic lore, and old traditions com- 
bined with the curious findings to produce 
unnatural results in the minds and fancies of 
the people. It was under such conditions 
Mormonism was engendered and born. 

Here I will commit the reader to the safe 

guidance of the little volume before him, and 
14 



INTRODUCTION. 



«ay, that while it only touches the most sali- 
ent points and makes no pretense to exhaus- 
tiveness, yet, taken as an epitome, it consti- 
tutes a fair and reliable account of the origin 
and progress, together with a faithful resume 
of the principal features of the politico-relig- 
ious sect, calling itself the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter Day Saints. Very respect- 
fully. P. W. Campbell. 

Member of the Arkansas Conference, M. 
E, Church, South. 



15 



THE BOOK OF MORMON 



CHAPTER I. 



It is a well established fact that the Amer-. 
ican continent was once inhabited by g 
people that were, in point of civilization, 
far in advance of the Indians found here at 
its discovery by the Caucasian race. But 
who these people were, whence they came 
and whither they went; at what age of the 
world they flourished; how long they pos- 
sessed this country, etc., are questions that 
are shrouded in mystery. Everything con- 
cerning their identity is mere conjecture. 

From the works they left in the form of 

mounds, fortifications and parts of buried 

cities, it is evident that they had some 

knowledge of the arts and sciences, at least of 

building and defense. Excavations made 
17 



MORMONISM. 



in the early part of the present century 
brought to light some smooth stones and 
metal plates, which seemed to have been bur- 
ied for ages past. These contained engrav- 
ings or inscriptions in what appeared to be a 
written language. This led the discoverers 
to believe that the Mound Builders (for so 
they were called for want of a better name) 
had a written language. But who could read 
it? That was the question. 

Soon after this one Dr. Priestly launched 
upon the sea of literature a book called 
"American Antiquities," in which he gave all 
the information he had been able to gather 
concerning this extinct race. The work was 
fully illustrated, showing many works in the 
form of walls, supposed to have been fortifi- 
cations, also illustrations of many curious 
articles said to have been found in mounds. 
But the most interesting of all were some 
plates of metal, closely engraved in these 
unknown characters. 

18 



MORMONISM. 



Now on account of some real or fancied 
resemblance between these characters and 
those used in writing the Hebrew language, 
Dr. Priestly started the idea that the people 
who left these works were possibly some of 
the wandering tribes of the Hebrew race. In 
fact, he claimed that if all the records could be 
found and read, it would give light on the 
subject of the ten lost tribes of the children 
of Israel. 

This announcement made quite a stir in 
literary circles. Many mounds in Central 
New York were opened and some entirely 
dug away. The results varied greatly. In 
some were only bones, indicating that they 
were merely places of burial. In some oth- 
ers were found pieces of broken pottery, and 
some few vessels entire, also some smooth 
stones engraved, and some copper plates and 
ornaments of curious design and workman- 
ship. The engravings on the smooth stones 

and plates were all in the same kind of char- 
19 



MORMONISM. 



acters, and resembled the illustrations in 
Priestly's book. 

Thus it was that the way was paved for 
Solomon Spaulding to write a "Historical 
Romance" in somewhat the style in which 
the Bible is written. This work proposed to 
give an account of how, by Divine direc- 
tion, the people were brought to this country, 
and of its occupation by them for many years, 
and how they were finally destroyed for their 
wickedness. All this was told by the prophet 
Ether, who also foretold that there should be 
a remnant left who would become a righteous 
people after many years, etc. Ether, by 
Divine direction, left a record of his times 
and people until they were divided into two 
distinct tribes; the Nephites, who were wor- 
shipers of God, and the Lamanites, who 
were idolaters. Continual wars took place 
between these two tribes until at last they 
were joined in a great battle east of Lake 

Erie, where the Nephites were all slain or 
20 



MORMONISM. 



captured except Mormon and his son, Moroni. 

Ether and those before him had kept a 
record of their own times, and Mormon now 
collected all their books, Nephi, Alma, Jared, 
Ether, etc., and after adding a history of his 
own times, gave them to his son, Moroni, 
who finished the record and buried the whole 
in the hill Oomorah. 

The whole work is replete with denuncia- 
tions of mankind for their sins, and threat- 
enings of retribution for their iniquities, 
unless they speedily reform. The intent 
seems to have been to show that the Indians, 
as we found them, were descendants of the 
Jews and the wicked Lamanite tribe, thus 
making a specious foundation for the tale 
which the author never claimed was any- 
thing but fiction. 

Spaulding was an invalid at the time of 
writing his book, but he hoped to get it pub- 
lished, thinking that, as Priestly's book found 

such an immense sale, his own venture might 
21 



MORMONISM. 



prove remunerative. Accordingly, he en- 
gaged a smart young man who had served 
four years in a printing office, to transcribe 
and fit it for the press and to act as compos- 
itor and proof reader in his stead. 

Spaulding died before he could make the 
necessary arrangements for its publication. 
In 1823 his widow removed to Ontario, New 
York. Efforts were here made for its publi- 
cation, but it disappeared in a mysterious 
manner, and what became of the manuscript 
copy was never certainly known. 

Living near and having access to the 
office where the manuscript was last heard of, 
were some personages whom it will now be 
necessary to introduce to the reader. I will 
describe them as they were described to me 
by those who knew them well. 



22 



CHAPTER II. 

Joseph Smith was born at Sharon, Wind- 
sor county, Vermont, December 23, 1805. In 
early childhood he came with his parents to 
New York, settling first in Wayne, but later 
in Ontario county. He early claimed supe- 
rior powers among his neighbors, locating 
veins of water, telling fortunes, finding things 
lost or stolen, also casting out evil spirits and 
relieving those who were bewitched. For in 
those days many were so superstitious as to 
have great fear of witchcraft. 

Later on he found his "Peepstone" as he 

called it, and when taught to use it by David 

Seward, an aged "seer" who traveled all 

through the state (though his home was in 

Chenango county), Joseph began to claim 

still greater powers. He saw visions, talked 

with angels, prophesied of future events, and 
23 



MORMONISM. 



altogether claimed to be in possession of 
supernatural powers before unheard of. 

Though ignorant and superstitious, yet he 
possessed that low cunning which, to some, 
makes one appear smart. His impudence 
knew no bounds. My uncle, who lived near 
Kirtland, said that "Joe Smith could tell 
what he and all others knew to be a barefaced 
lie, and yet swear that it was the truth, 
that he was covetous to the last degree, and 
was not at all scrupulous about the means 
employed to accomplish his designs. He 
was fond of dress and display and could 
sometimes so far lose his prophetical dignity 
as to drink like a sailor and swear like a 
pirate." 

I have gone some length to describe this 
character as he is destined to play by far the 
most important part in the shameful drama 
before us. 

Of Sidney Kigdon it was said that he was a 

"genuine Yankee genius," ready to turn his 
24 



MORMONISM. 



hand to anything. He could set type, read 
proof, or do any kind of work in a printing 
office; could plead law, and, when full of his 
favorite beverage, could preach any doctrine 
from Calvinism to Universalism. His princi- 
ple occupation, however, was school teaching. 
/ As in those days it was the custom for the 
teacher to "board around" among the 
patrons of the school, an opportunity was 
given to these itinerant pedagogues to become 
acquainted with some family secrets which, if 
made known to others, would be the cause of 
no little hard feeling in the neighborhood. 
As Kigdon was not careful to guard the news 
he picked up from place to place, he seldom 
remained in one community very long. He 
taught school in several counties in New 
York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. 

One other character deserves particular 
notice. 

Oliver Cowdry was a man having more 

than average abilities, but, unfortunately for 

25 



MORMONISM. 



himself and those with whom he came in 
contact, they were often not rightly used. 
He was a man of good education, pleasant 
and affable in conversation, an adept in using 
a pen. In fact his ability to diversify the 
style of his penmanship on occasions became 
the source of trouble to himself and others. 
Cunning and unscrupulous to a remarkable 
degree, he was just the man needed to com- 
plete the trio who were to bring before the 
world the greatest fraud and delusion of the 
century. 

Having shown the origin of the idea from 
which sprang this delusion, and introduced its 
first apostles, let us now trace its develop- 
ment. 

After Priestly's suggestion concerning the 
possible origin of the mound builders, 
Spaulding proceeded (as stated in last chap- 
ter) to write his fictitious history (or ro- 
mance) and had his imaginary historians 

leave it on plates buried in the hill Oormo- 
26 



MOKMONISM. 



rah. Now it only required a very few finish- 
ing touches, by one in possession of this 
material, to fit it for its present use. 

It is generally believed that Rigdon, an 
occasional printer, saw the chance in Spauld- 
ing's manuscript, and by some means placed 
it in the hands of Smith and Cowdry, and then 
disappeared for a time, his absence causing 
no comment as he was, by habit, liable to 
come and go at any time. Now with the 
material at hand, and the idea of engraved 
plates, how easy it was for Smith, who was 
already in communication with the celestial 
world, to have an angel direct him to the hill 
Cormorah, where he should come into pos- 
session of plates containing a new revelation 
to mankind! According to Mormon author- 
ity, on the Twenty-second day of September, 
1823, by Divine direction, Smith unearthed a 
stone box carefully cemented together, in 
which, on opening, were found what is thus 

described: ' 4 These records were engraved on 
27 



MORMONISM. 



plates that had the appearance of gold. Each 
plate was not far from seven inches wide by 
eight inches long, being not quite as thick as 
common tin." An engraver of metals sug- 
gests that " It would be hard to engrave on 

j both sides of a plate so thin and have it leg- 

; ible." 

But, to resume: "The plates were filled on 
both sides with engravings in Egyptian char- 
acters, and bound together in a volume, like 
the leaves of a book, and fastened at one edge 
with three rings running through the whole. 
This volume was near six inches thick, a 
part of which was sealed. The unsealed part 
was in small characters, which were beauti- 
fully engraved. The whole work showed 
great antiquity, as well as much skill in con- 
struction and engraving. With the records 
was found a curious instrument called by the 
ancients Urim and Thummim, which con- 
sisted of two transparent stones, clear as 

crystal, set in tjie two rims of a bow. This 

28 



MORMONISM. 



was much in use in ancient times by persons 
called seers, by which they received revela- 
tion of things in the past or future." 

Having given the Mormon side of this 
story, taken from a work by Parley P. Pratt, 
I (Voice of Warning, page 117) , and deeming 
» it good Mormon authority, we now ask the 
reader to take the Bible and turn to Exodus, 
28th chapter, 9-12 verses, together with the 
30th verse of the same chapter, also Leviti- 
cus, 8th chapter and 8th verse, and see if the 
description and use there given of Urim and 
Thummim justify us in believing the above 
statement. 

Now notice some conflicting statements. 
Elder John Taylor describes the plates as 
"four large plates of pure gold." Elder 
Frank Bevier says there were twelve plates 
after the twelve Tribes of Israel; while the 
above quoted account makes the volume of 
six inches in thickness to consist of very 
thin sheets of gold. 

29 



MORMONISM. 



Next note that while the foregoing ac- 
count (exact Mormon quotation) is that 
Smith uncovered these plates in September, 
1823, we find recorded in "Voice of Warn- 
ing," page 116, that an angel delivered them 
to Joseph Smith in September, 1827; a dis- 
crepancy of four years. But it is no matter 
of ours how he got them or whether he got 
them at all. He and his followers claim that 
the Book of Mormon was translated from the 
aforesaid plates. 

After the supposed translation, and after 
he had managed to secure a few believers, 
the great trouble was to get it printed, since 
none of his followers had the means. Fi- 
nally, in 1830, an illiterate, superstitious old 
man, named Martin Harris, was persuaded 
that the work was so sacred that it was a sin 
to longer keep it from the world. He was 
persuaded that the one who would make the 
sacrifice necessary for its publication would 

be rewarded with unnumbered blessings in 
30 



MORMONISM. 



this world, and an exaltation above all the 
old patriarchs and prophets in the world to 
come. These nattering inducements led him 
to mortgage his farm to secure the money for 
publishing it in the form of a book. (Let us 
1 hope that the old man got all that Smith 
promised him) . 

Not long after the book made its appear- 
ance, many different views of its origin were 
given. Few believed the plate story, and no 
one thought Smith was scholar enough to 
produce such a work, because, as one said, 
"he had not sense enough to get up as good 
a hoax." 

Bigdon and Cowdry were thought of as the 
authors, but as Eigdon was then in Ohio, 
Cowdry was finally conceded to be the author. 

About this time Spaulding's widow thought 
she saw enough resemblance in it to her hus- 
band's manuscript story to assert that she 
believed it to be the same. Of course it was 

denied by Smith, and to prove that he had 

31 



MORMONISM. 



the plates, he produced the following affida- 
vit: "Be it known to all nations, kindred, 
tongues and people unto whom this work 
shall come, that we, through the grace of 
God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 
have seen the plates which contain this rec- 
ord, which is a record of the people of Nephi 
and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, 
and also of the people of Jared, who came 
from the tower of which hath been spoken. 
/ We also know that they have been translated 
by the power of God, for His voice hath 
declared it unto us.y Wherefore we know of 
a surety that the work is true. And we also 
testify that we have seen the engravings 
which are upon the plates, and they have 
been shown unto us by the power of God and 
not of man. And we declare, with words of 
soberness, that an angel of God came down 
from heaven, and he brought and laid before 
our eyes that we beheld and saw the plates 

and the engravings thereon; and we know 
32 



MORMONISM. 



that it is by the grace of God the Father and 
our Lord Jesus Christ that we beheld and 
bear witness that these things are true: and it 
is marvelous in our eyes, nevertheless, the 
voice of the Lord commanded us that we 
should bear record of it. Wherefore, to be 
obedient unto the commandments of God, 
we bear testimony of these things. And we 
know that if we are faithful in Christ, we 
shall rid our garments of the blood of all 
men, and be found spotless before the Judg- 
ment seat of Christ, and shall dwell with Him 
eternally in the heavens. And the honor be 
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the 
Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen." 
Signed, " Oliver Cowdry, 

David Whitmer, 
Martin Harris. " 
A public exhibition of these wonderful 
plates would, no doubt, have been more con- 
vincing to the unbelieving world just at that 
time than an affidavit from the hands of 



MORMONISM. 



three Mormon followers. But as they were 
too sacred to be thus vulgarly exposed to the 
eye of the public (and so very consistently 
have continued to be) the people still doubted, 
the word of these witnesses, knowing Cowdry 
and Harris, at least, to be interested parties. 

Accordingly, another paper was issued as 
follows: "Be it known unto all kindreds, 
nations, tongues and peoples unto whom this 
work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr., the 
translator of this work, has shown us the 
plates of which hath been spoken, which 
have the appearance of gold; and as many of 
the leaves as the said Smith has translated^ 
we did handle with our hands; and we also 
saw the engravings thereon; all of which has 
the appearance of ancient work, and of curi- 
ous workmanship. And this we bear record 
with soberness, that the said Smith has 
shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, 
and know of a surety that the said Smith has 

got the plates of which we have spoken. And 
34 



MORMONISM. 



•we give our names unto the world to witness 
unto the world that which we have seen; and 
we lie not, God bearing witness to it. " Signed, 
Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter 
Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page, 
Joseph Smith, Sen., Hyrum Smith, Samuel H. 
Smith. 

It will be noticed, perhaps, that of the 
eight persons who signed this affidavit, only 
Joe Smith's father and two brothers are 
among the early adherents of the church. 
The other five, although willing to give their 
names to the world in this connection, yet 
had not enough confidence in the truthful- 
ness of their own testimony to enroll their ! 
names as members of the church founded on { 
what they testified was the truth. Truly a 
man's actions are a good test of the sincerity 
of his words. Again, if this Whitmer family 
and other Gentiles could at this time look 
upon those sacred plates and handle them, 

w T hy can not any one at any time see them? 
35 



MORMONISM. 



Of course those sacred, golden oracles would 
be very precious to the Mormons, and there- 
fore would be in safe keeping for all time; 
yet, constituting as they would, the best evi- 
dences of their own genuineness, they are still 
too sacred for the eyes of any but the cun- 
ning, unscrupulous Joe Smith and a few of 
his polygamous followers, besides one family, 
who, by their actions, gave the lie to their 
own testimonies. 



36 



CHAPTER III. 



The people in the vicinity of these hap- 
penings, being yet unsatisfied with the testi- 
monies given in last chapter, sent to Norwich, 
the home of the young man who had trans- 
cribed Spaulding's romance in 1822, request- 
ing him to come and examine the Book of 
Mormon now before the public. He accord- 
ingly came to Manchester, and having care- 
fully examined the printed copy of the book, 
gave it as his opinion that it was the same 
work that he had transcribed for Spaulding. 
It had indeed undergone some alterations in 
phraseology, and some interpolations to make 
it appear more in the "Bible style," as he 
termed it, yet it was substantially the same. 
He said he knew it as well by some errors 
that he had pointed out to Spaulding, some 
of which, by his permission, he had corrected 



MORMONISM. 



in the finished manuscript. He said he was 
sure he knew his own work. It would 
be a very strange coincidence for two differ- 
ent writers, fourteen hundred years apart, to 
have written works so nearly identical, 
especially since one was a Divine oracle, the I 
other a fictitious narrative. Yet this was the 
ludicrous problem with which Mormonism 
was confronted at just this period. 

Let us now notice that Oliver Cowdry was 
the first witness of the authenticity of the 
work, and he a partner, if not the principal, 
because he assisted in the work. This is the 
way they claim the work was done. (See 
"Voice of Warning"). "Cowdry wrote while 
Smith was the translator. Joseph Smith , 
then placed the two stones in his hat, then by 
looking at them he read the plate as he held 
it in his hand. Cowdry wrote as Smith read, 
thus, plate by plate, it was translated and rec- 
orded." 

We now quote from a work by a Mormon 
38 



MORMONISM. 



historian (Parley P. Pratt.) "We, Joseph 
Smith and Oliver Oowdry, still continued the 
work of translation, when, in May, 1829, we 
went into the woods to pray and inquire of 
the Lord concerning baptism for the remis- 
sion of sins. While we were thus engaged 
praying and calling upon the Lord, a mes- 
senger from heaven, descending in a cloud of 
light, and having laid his hands on us, or- 
dained us, saying, 'Upon you, my fellow ser- 
vants, in the name of the Messiah, I confer 
the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the 
keys of the ministering of angels, and of the 
gospel of repentance, and of baptism by im- 
mersion for the remission of sins; and this 
shall never be taken from the earth until the 
sons of Levi do offer again an offering in right- 
eousness unto the Lord.'" Here we see that 
Cowdry, as well as Smith was ordained to the 
high priesthood and invested with equal pow- 
er. But being more shrewd than Smith, he 

did not claim prophetic power at that time. 

39 



CHAPTER IV. 



As I have shown the origin of the Book 
and of the priests and prophets of Mormon- j 
ism, I will now give, in brief, what I have 1 
learned of the early history of the Church, as 
given me by my relatives, who, as before 
stated, were in a position to know the facts in 
the case. 

The first church was composed chiefly of 
the Smith family, only Cowdry and one other 
besides being enrolled as charter members. 
On the 6th of April, 1830, the following per- I 
sons were baptized into the church at Man- f 
Chester, N. Y.: Joseph Smith, Sr., Joseph 
Knight, Oliver Cowdry, Samuel Smith and 
Hyrum Smith. Joseph Smith, Jr., officiated, 
he and Cowdry having been previously or- 
dained by Divine authority, now took upon 

themselves the priesthood and assumed the 
40 



MORMONISM. 



power to make laws by which the church 
should be governed. 

They first undertook to fashion the church 
after the patriarchal order, and in this they 
seemed to prosper, for, although about this 
time Smith, their prophet and priest, was 
arrested for stealing, yet, by Cowdry's efforts 
the church rapidly increased in membership. 

In August of the same year Sidney Rig- 
don, returning, joined the crowd, as did also 
Parley Pratt, a preacher of many faiths, but 
latterly a Campbellite (as they were then 
called) . Both Pratt and Rigdon put on the 
harness and went to work in earnest. At 
this point the order of the church was 
changed. To put it on the apostolic order, 
twelve apostles were chosen. Rigdon, Hyrum 
Smith, Pratt and others were ordained to this 
office. 

At this juncture Orson Pratt joined them, 

and did more to build up the church than 

any other man who was ever connected with 
41 



MORMONISM. 



it. He was, in all probability, the best edu- 
cated man that was ever in it, and from the 
time he joined it until his death in 1881, he 
held the members of this strangely made up 
organization under more complete control 
than any other man. Without him, neither 
Smith nor Young could have ever governed 
the conflicting elements that composed the 
church. 

Sidney Rigdon, as soon as he received his 
office, went upon his apostolic mission to 
Kirtland, Ohio, where he had formerly taught 
school, and so powerful was his preaching 
that he soon succeeded in gaining nearly one 
hundred converts to the new faith. Thither 
in 1831 Smith removed the headquarters of 
the church. 

The membership continued to increase, 

but, as the female members far exceeded the 

males in numbers, Smith began to have some 

strange revelations. We will not mention 

these revelations in detail, but the crowning 
42 



MORMONISM. 



iniquity of them all was the " Incarnated 
Catechism," or the form of inquiry as to the 
eligibility of applicants for communion, 
which, as described to me, was too shocking 
in indecency to allow of publication. Suffice 
it to say that such examinations could not be 
devised by any other than a mind wholly 
given to licentiousness. If Mormonism in- 
volved nothing worse in practice, this alone 
would be enough to brand the whole as an 
unholy scheme for Smith and his patrons in 
iniquity to gratify their baseness. 

But we will go further and describe one of 
the developments of this period. And right 
here in advance, let us beg the reader's par- 
don for offering to the eye of innocence and 
refinement a picture so vile, so black in sin 
and shame. Our only excuse is that these 
things did take place, and were practiced in 
the name of our blessed Savior and His holy 
religion. Oh shocking blasphemy! thus to 

charge upon the spotless Son of God, author- 
43 



MORMONISM. 



ity for beliefs the most sensual and practices 
the most vile of which the depraved mind of 
man can conceive. And the followers of 
this worse than corrupt leadership, are mak- 
ing appeals to-day for your faith in such a 
vile institution. But for this fact, your 
minds would never, by this pen, be taxed 
with such a dark recital. 

Now pray the God of purity to help you 
think aright, while I tell you something of 
the disgusting practices of this most immoral 
people, the facts all being well authenticated. 

A special building of three rooms, one large 

and two smaller ones, was erected near Kirt- 

land. At stated times the members of both 

sexes were called on to repair to this "taber- i 

nacle of the faithful," where they proceeded 

to the trial of faith as follows: After dark 

the members repaired to the "tabernacle," 

the men going directly to one of the smaller 

rooms, while the women went to the other. 

When the proper time arrived the occupants 
44 



MORMONISM. 



of both rooms divested themselves of all their 
clothing, and stood in line in a state of per- 
fect nudity, waiting their summons to appear. 
The large room having been made so dark 
that not even the outlines of an object could 
be seen, one of the high priests would order 
the first in line in each of the small rooms to 
appear. As they filed into this intensely 
dark room from opposite sides, each would 
meet a partner in personal contact. This is 
not all, but out of mercy for our readers we 
will drop the black curtain over this disgust- 
ing scene. We will say, however, that they 
claimed to do no sin here, but to have inaug- 
urated this exercise to test their powers of 
resisting temptation, a claim as senseless as 
it is shameful. Of course our apostle (Paul) , 
was addressing Gentiles, and not Mormons, 
when he said: "Shun the very appearance of 
evil." But Joe Smith said that by the fre- 
quent exercise of this "ordinance/' they 

were taught to put the lusts of the flesh in 

45 



MORMONISM. 



subjection to the spiritual powers. For some? 
unexplained reason this spiritual exercise 
was reserved for those only who are highest 
in the favor and patronage of the church. Is 
it possible that the more humble of the mem- 
bers, comprising the mass of the church, had 
already sufficient grace, and so did not need 
this superb spiritual training that was so 
essential to the edification of their churchly 
peers? It might have been so, but this looks 
to be rather a humiliating explanation for 
those wonderful priests and apostles of Mor- 
monism. Wonderful indeed, that only the 
high officials of the church, their chosea. 
friends, and the most voluptuous formed of 
the females, ever seemed to need to undergo 
the trial of their power to resist temptation. 



46 



CHAPTER V. 

Some strange methods were employed to 
increase their membership while the church 
had its rallying place in Ohio. Orson Pratt, 
dejected on account of his trials and opposi- 
tions, told them one evening that he would 
never preach to them again until " Gabriel 
should blow his horn." Instantly the blast 
of a tin dinner horn broke upon the stillness 
of the night. Pratt then shot up from his 
seat like a sky rocket, and cried with all the 
strength of his sonorous voice: "The Lord 
has now truly manifested Himself, and the 
horn of Grabriel has sounded to convince 
your skeptical minds of the truth of the 
Mormon gospel, and of my divine call to 
preach to you the truth in its purity." The 
horn scheme proving efficient, was repeated, 

and worked well for nearly a week. Such a 
47 



MORMONISM. 



time of excitement was seldom seen. Men 
and women frantically shouting, some sing- 
ing, some praying, and all anxious to rush to 
the water to wash away their accumulated 
sins. But one night a rather skeptical youth 
watched at the place from which the horn 
toots seemed to come, and seeing a boy 
creeping along in the darkness, he got near 
enough to catch hold of the horn just as it 
began to toot. For a moment Gabriel forgot 
his angelic dignity, and loudly yelled out: 
"Let go my horn!" But this exposure did 
not hurt Pratt in the minds of the faithful. 
Neither earth nor heaven itself could shake 
their faith. 

Pratt had acquired a wonderful hold on 
the minds of his deluded followers. They 
believed he was truly inspired, listened to 
what he called his "revelations," and sus- 
tained the pious old humbug by liberal gifts, 
so that he was acquiring property as well as 
fame. 

48 



MORMONISM. 



About this time Joe Smith became fear- 
ful that he was being supplanted in the 
minds of the people by Pratt and others, so 
in order to gain his former position of influ- 
ence, he produced another revelation from 
the stock he always carried on hand, ready 
made to suit any occasion that might need 
one. 

This was a direct and imperative com- 
mand that the Church of the living God was 
to be removed to the original site of the Gar- 
den of Eden, and there Zion in all its glory 
and power was to be established, and neither 
time, blood nor money, nor all the schemes 
of wicked men or devils, should be able to 
remove it. The revelation declared that 
Jackson county, Mo., was the favored spot, 
and that the work should be begun without 
delay. 

In pursuance to this order, several of the 

elders of the church set out some time in 

July, 1831, and in August set up their tents 
49 



MOEMONISM. 



&bout twelve miles from where the city of 
Independence now stands. They soon made 
preparation to build the "Great Temple." In 
the meantime a large party of those from 
Xirtland came also. 

Joe Smith now sent out his apostles in all 
directions to aid in the ingathering of mem- 
bers; those possessed of money greatly pre- 
ferred. 

In the year 1832, by the ministration of 
one of the Smiths, Brigham Young and six 
sisters and four brothers, were induced to 
join the church. Brigham achieved a power 
in the church that only ended with his death. 
In the same year J oe Smith and Sidney Rig- 
don, while at some distance from home 
endeavoring to extend the walls of Zion, 
were charged with theft and forgery, and 
were caught and publicly treated to a liberal 
coating of tar and feathers. They made 
haste to return to their Zion and try some 
new method of extending their work. 



MORMONISM. 



They now started a paper, and made some 
changes in the form of church government. 
A regency was created, Joe Smith, Sidney 
Rigdon and Fred Williams were a triumvi- 
rate who should control all the affairs of the 
church. As they now numbered more than 
fifteen hundred, they began to show their 
arrogance, by asserting their entire owner- 
ship of Jackson county. They also threat- 
ened the most dire calamities on all who 
refused to join them, declaring that the 
wrath of God was about to fall oiv all the 
Gentiles, calling them "vipers," and "the 
accursed of God." 

They also began to rob them of anything 
they desired, citing the Children of Israel 
and the Egyptians s as an example to justify 
themselves in this religious plunder. This 
conduct excited those that had not learned 
to "take joyfully the spoiling of their goods," 
and it was evident to every one that some- 
thing serious would occur, if things contin- 
51 



MORMONISM. 



ued thus. The Mormons continuing their 
aggressions, at the August election three 
hundred desperate and well-armed men made 
iheir appearance at Independence, and at 
once proceeded to tear up Mormonism, root 
and branch. The newspaper office was the 
first place visited. It and its contents were 
entirely demolished. Some of the Saints 
were badly beaten, several were tarred and 
feathered and advised to leave the State. 
Perhaps it is needless to say they took the 
advice. Two of them, however, in order to 
aid in their hasty escape, took each of them 
a horse from their enemies. The Saints now 
called on the government for protection, and 
a body of militia was ordered from St. Louis 
for that purpose. Before relief came, how- 
ever, the Mormons and the mob had a collis- 
ion, and several were killed on both sides. 
Many of the Mormons were burned out of 
Tiouse and home. Thoroughly discouraged 

with their attempts to hold their Zion, they 
52 



MORMONISM. 



now crossed the Missouri river into Clay 
county, and tried to re-establish themselves 
there. Kirtland was yet nominally the head- 
quarters, and Joe Smith resolved to avenge 
the death of the Saints, and the destruction 
of their property. 

He at once set about organizing for this 
purpose, but his designs were intercepted by 
a malignant form of cholera, which broke 
out in his army of followers. Twenty of his 
men died, and the rest, panic stricken, would 
listen to neither proclamation nor revelation, 
but left him so small a following that he 
feared to continue his enterprise. 

Most of the Saints again gathered at Kirt- 
land, where they built a college and also a 
temple costing forty thousand ($40,000) dol- 
lars. 

It was at this period that the church 

dropped the name Mormon, and in its place 

substituted that of "The Church of Jesus 

Christ of Latter Day Saints." The reason 
53 



MORMONISM. 



for this change of name will be given hereaf- 
ter. 

Smith and Rigdon started a Savings 
Bank, which soon failed under circumstances 
that made it necessary for its founders to 
leave the State precipitately. After this 
misfortune they attempted to re-establish 
themselves in different counties in Missouri, 
but wherever the Saints went they met with 
poor encouragement, as the people of Mis- 
souri generally were becoming anxious to 
get rid of them. 

Divisions arose in the church. Smith was 
openly denounced by some, yet upheld by 
« others. Several aspired to be leaders, and 
revelations became common, and correspond- 
ingly cheap. Had not Orson Pratt at this 
crisis come to Smith's rescue, the whole 
church would have been split into almost 
infinitesimal fragments. He, ever on hand 
at the time most needed, healed the broach to 

such an extent that seeming order came out 
54 



MORMONISM. 



of chaos, and for a time, internal difficulties 
were forgotten. Not so, however, with ex- 
ternal troubles. They were ever on the in- 
crease. The cloud that had long hung over 
the Mormon sky was about ready to burst. 



CHAPTER VI. 



A charge was now brought against the 
Church as a body, that its teachings were in 
direct antagonism to the laws of the State of 
Missouri. Also that it was the seat of rebel- 
ion against the laws of the United States. 
Again severe fighting occurred between the 
Saints and a mob made up of the citizens, 
and many on both sides were killed. Offi- 
cers in the discharge of their official duties 
were assassinated and life was very insecure. 
Finally Governor Boggs was compelled to , 
issue an order for all Mormons to leave the 
State of Missouri. After being thus ex- 
pelled they began to search for a more fav- 
orable place in which to plant themselves 
anew. Some of the people of Illinois were 
in sympathy with them, believing them to be 
a harmless, though fanatical sect. They sup- 



MORMONISM. 



posed they had been persecuted for their 
religion, and therefore offered a welcome to 
the Mormons among themselves. 

Dr, Isaac Galland had several thousand 
acres of unimproved land in Hancock county, 
111., that he offered for sale at a very low 
price and easy terms of payment. This, 
Smith and the leading elders secured, and 
the stakes for a new City of Zion were 
driven. Here was erected the temple of Nau- 
voo. This temple was destined to prove just 
what the purposes of the founders of the 
church really were. Indeed the indecencies 
of Kirtland were to sink into obscurity in 
comparison with the deeds practiced at this 
place. 

At first they began to show only their 
political power. This was so great that they 
soon obtained absolute control of all the 
County offices. As the Whigs and Demo- 
crats were alike anxious to get their support, 

the Mormons held the balance of power. 
57 



MOKMONISM. 



This power was wielded by Joe Smith alone, 
who placed it in the hands of whichever 
party paid the highest royalty, or would 
promise strongest protection in the courts to 
Mormon claims. They had things all their 
own way politically. 

This power to give protection to the mem- 
bers of the church was the means of attract- 
ing to them a vast number of disreputable 
characters, who would subscribe to any creed 
to save themselves from justice. Even some 
of Murrell's gang of river pirates became 
converts, and sometimes preachers, in order 
to gain that protection which Smith prom- 
ised to all his adherents. 

Smith now became Governor-General in 
the church. As he had control of more than 
three thousand votes he generally succeeded 
in putting those into office who would do his 
bidding. He was now flourishing in his 
political aggrandizements, but political power 

and advantages derived from its use did not 

58 



MORMONISM. 



satisfy one of his longings. There were 
female members of his flock on whom he 
oast a longing eye. He decided that the 
only safe and sure way in which to accom- 
plish his desires in this direction was to have 
recourse once more to his revelations. Ac- 
cordingly in hunting among those already on 
hand he found one that seemed to answer his 
purpose. This was called the " Law of 
Sealing" to the male members of his flock as 
"Spiritual Wives," the most desirable of the 
females, even though they were the lawful 
wives of others. This law was made so bind- 
ing that females were compelled to submit to 
its iniquitous requirements or else suffer all 
the wrath and punishment that it was de- 
clared was reserved for the disobedient and 
ungodly. 

"This is the time," said he, when seven 
women shall take hold of one man, begging 
him to take away their reproach." 

Smith set about to fulfill this new enter- 

59 



MORMONISM. 



prise by sealing to himself many of the most 
comely of the wives of other men, not always, 
however, with the most successful results. 
Illustrative of this I will give an incident: 

In Browne county, New York, there were 
several converts as the result of the labors of 
Rigdon and Bevier. Among them were 
George Raleigh and wife, of Union Village. 
Mrs. Raleigh was a uncommonly good look- 
ing woman. Consequently, shortly after ar- 
riving at Nauvoo, Smith told her that her sal- 
vation in another world could not be com- 
plete unless she were sealed to some other 
man, as her present husband could not exalt 
her to a state of glory, even if he could be 
instrumental in her resurrection; that he 
had received a divine command to seal her to 
himself in order to fully secure her future 
salvation, and that accordingly she must be 
prepared to be sealed to him the ensuing 
day. But " best laid plans of mice and men 
gang aft aglee." 

60 



MOEMONISM. 



In her honesty and sincerity, she had 
joined the church, believing that its leaders 
and members were what they professed to be, 
upright Christians. Shocked at this discov- 
ery of their baseness, she besought Raleigh 
| to take her away. He told her to tell no one 
but to be in readiness to go at a moment's 
warning. Just as it was getting dark he led 
her to a secluded spot just out of town where 
two good horses were in waiting. After see- 
ing her safely mounted on one of them, he 
bade her wait until he could do an errand he 
had forgotten, but if any one else should 
come near she was to ride for life to his 
uncle's, some thirty miles North of there. 

He went directly to the office of the 

prophet and asked if what his wife had told 

him was true. Smith answered that it was 

true, and he should be very thankful that his 

wife's salvation was thus assured. He said 

he was, and turned as if to go, when Smith 

extended his hand with a paper, which he 
61 



MORMONISM. 



told him was his (Raleigh's) commission as a 
missionary, also his instructions. Raleigh 
reached out his hand to take the paper, but 
grasped Smith's hand in his own, and with 
his left fist, dealt Smith such a stunning 
blow that it felled him to the floor. Raleigh 
then made his escape, joined his wife and 
rode all night to a place of safety. 

Returning to Union Village, Raleigh re- 
lated his experience with the Mormons, which 
so exasperated his former neighbors and 
friends that for some years after, that town 
was an unhealthy place for Mormon mission- 
aries. The first to visit the place were tarred 
and feathered and carried out of the town 
astride a sharp rail. This means of travel 
was so unsatisfactory that I doubt if, to this 
day, any Mormon missionary dares to enter 
that village to preach. 



62 



CHAPTER VII. 



Those elders who had beautiful wives 
were sent as missionaries to other parts, and 
in their absence Smith sealed their wives to 
himself. As he now became particular as to 
the physical form of his spiritual wives, he 
was moved to execute the next degree of 
obscenity called the "Endowment House," 
through which all must pass before they 
could have any promise of full salvation, if 
indeed they escaped the flames of hell, which 
was very doubtful. 

In this house the last remains of modesty 
must be laid aside, and in a state of perfect 
nudity the female candidates were washed 
and anointed with oil, while Smith and his 
lecherous priests from convenient peep-holes 
studied the forms of the future victims of 

their lust. If no other nefarious scheme of 

63 



MORMONISM. 



this monster of licentiousness were known he 
would well deserve the curse of all who ever 
had a pure thought. But this is not all. 
The travesty of the creation where the sup- 
posed Adam and Eve appear in a perfect 
state of nudity, occurs in the presence of the 
high priests, who represent the trinity; also 
of another character who represents the 
devil, as well as those representing the differ- 
ent sects. Now before all these, and during 
the time occupied by the temptation and fall 
and expulsion from the garden, the waiting 
Adam and Eve were required to be as naked 
as when born. Though at Utah some sem- 
blance of clothing is worn, yet at Nauvoo all 
raiment was entirely discarded. 

That such indecent and blasphemous cer- 
emonies could be performed in the name of 
religious worship, seems to be almost incred- 
ible, yet I have heard it told so often and by 
so many different persons, and their testimo- 
nies agree so nearly that I can not doubt its 
64 



MORMONISM. 



truthfulness. The entire ceremony seems to 
have been something as follows: 

A conversation is begun between Elohim 
and Jehovah. 

"Well, I think we had better make a 
world. Tell Michael to go and get the mate- 
rial together." Michael disappears for per- 
haps a minute, and returns reporting the 
work done. Using the same formula of com- 
mand and response the whole work of crea- 
tion was supposed to be done. After Mich- 
ael had made his last report they decided to 
take a look at the work done, and agreed that 
it was good. 

The creation thus far finished and ap- j 

proved, it was deemed a pity that no use ( 

could be made of it; so it was agreed last to 

make an occupant for it. Accordingly, our 

father Adam was brought into the room called 

Eden, the walls being painted in imitation of 

trees, beasts, birds, etc., with an apple tree 

loaded with large, red apples making the 
65 



MORMONISM. 



most prominent feature of the landscape. 
Adam was given control of all living things, 
then, as a kind of after-thought, it was 
, decided to create a mate for him. It was 
thought that since all the other living things 
were in pairs, it would be a pity to leave him 
alone. 

Consequently Adam was laid down to 
sleep, when mother Eve was brought in and 
laid down beside him. He was then awak- 
ened and introduced to Eve, after which 
Jehovah warned them of the consequences of 
disobedience and retired. Next comes Satan. 
Orson Hyde was usually the one to play this 
part. Satan asked Eve: 

"Do you not see those beautiful apples?" 

"Yes, but must not touch them." 

" Oh ! they won't hurt you. They are good 
to eat. Here, try this fine one." 

Eve pretends to take the apple and eat, 
then calls her husband, and offers him a bite. 

Adam at first remonstrates, but at last she 

66 



MORMONISM. 



overcomes his scruples, and he also pretends 
to eat. Immediately he cried out, "Oh! how 
foolish we have been. See! we have no 
clothes on. What if Jehovah should come 
now and find us naked?" They then pretend 
to hide. Soon a voice is heard calling on 
them and reproving them and cursing the 
earth. Satan goes crawling out of the room, 
and they are turned out of the garden. The 
whole ceremony is replete with indecency 
and blasphemy. 

In the minds of many will arise the ques- 
tion, which I have often been asked, If these 
things be true of them, how can any well- 
meaning person be so deluded as to join 
them? I answer: If Satan appeared to men 
as he is pictured, with horns and cloven foot, 
he would meet with poor success in gaining 
followers. But he appears as a friend. The 
early Mormon missionaries, like those now 
abroad in our land, were men of smooth 

tongue and pious exterior. Their teaching 

67 



MORMONISM. 



differed little from that generally known asc> 
the Campbellite, only the Mormons were 
enthusiastic and zealous, and consequently 
created more excitement. They profess to 
rely on the Holy Spirit to aid them in their 
efforts to convince men of their sins, and in 
all other work for the cause of God and 
humanity. Not a hint was given by them in. 
their preaching or conversation of anything 
but that which was in accordance with 
decency and order. The question then arises^ 
how should such vile characters be attracted 
to them? To answer this, I will give you the 
character and manner of some of their lead- 
ing evangelists. Oowdry and Rigdon both 
spent many years in teaching school, which 
fitted them well to read human nature. Thus 
they well knew when, where and how to 
teach the conflicting doctrines of the sect. 
To a mixed congregation they would preach 
with all the earnestness of a Methodist at a 

camp-meeting. As they exhorted all to flee 

68 



MOKMONISM. 



the wrath to come, they would portray heaven 
and hell in such vivid and forcible language as 
completely overawed their hearers, and held 
them spell-bound under their eloquence. They 
had all confidence in them as being what they 
f professed to be, men sent of God. Yet 
these keen, hypocritical students of human 
nature could generally tell who possessed the 
base passions to be catered to, and in secret 
gave them to understand what was inside of 
all this. Just as in prohibition towns, only 
the initiated know who to apply to in order 
to find the smuggled wares; so the smooth, de- 
ceitful apostles of Mormonism generally knew 
3 with what bait to catch the different kinds of 
j fish. Pure-minded females, after being lured 
into their power were ruined as soon as pos- 
sible, then ashamed to return to their former 
homes, even were it possible, they still re- 
mained in bondage. 

Escapes were formerly rare. Although 

many tried it, few succeeded. Some of those 
69 



M0RM0NISM. 



who did succeed, fearing the consequences of 
violating the oaths they had been forced to 
take, said but little of what was done among 
them. I knew one man who made his escape 
with part of his family, though pursued by 
the "Danites" for one hundred and fifty | 
miles. I shall never forget the answer he 
made when I asked him if these reports 
were true. He said, "All I will tell you is, I 
would rather see a member of my family in 
the grave (I had nearly said in hell) than 
among the Mormons and under the control of 
the priests. I would gladly give ten years of 
my life if it would obliterate the memory 
of what I have endured among them." This I 
man lived near me for some years, and I can j 
vouch for his truthfulness. 



70 



CHAPTER VII. 



In a former chapter I mentioned a change 
of name, repudiating that of "Mormon." I 
intimated that for this change there was a 
reason which I promised to give later on. I 
will now give it by quoting from the Book of 
Mormon. In one of its numerous books, 
namely, " Jacob/' second chapter, and begin- 
ning at the twenty-sixth verse, we read: 

26. "Wherefore, I, the Lord God will not 
suffer that this people shall be like unto 
them of old. 

27. "Wherefore, my brethren, hear me 
and hearken to the word of the Lord: for 
there shall not any man among you have 
save it be one wife, and concubines he shall 
have none. 

28. "For I the Lord God delight in the 

chastity of women, and whoredoms are an 
71 



MORMONISM. 



abomination before me: thus saith the Lord 
of Hosts. 

29. "Wherefore this people shall keep my 
commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or 
cursed be the land for your sakes." 

* * * * 

31. " For behold, I, the Lord of Hosts, 
have seen the sorrow and heard the mourn- 
ing of the daughters of my people in the land 
of Jerusalem: yea, and in all the lands of my 
people, because of the wickedness and abom- 
inations of their husbands. 

* * * # 

35. " Behold, ye have broken the hearts 
of your tender wives, and lost the confidence 
of your children because of your bad exam- 
ples before them: and the sobbing of their 
hearts ascends up to God against you." The 
third chapter of the same book is also plain 
upon the subject, but space forbids further 
quotation. 

From the foregoing extract it will be seen 



MORMONISM. 



that the Book of Mormon positively forbids 
polygamy in all of its forms. It seems that 
certain developments of their religion were 
not anticipated by those who had in hand 
the work of refitting Spaulding's manuscript 
for use as a Mormon Bible. 

The woman sentiment now becoming dom- 
inant in the Mormon camp, it was plainly to 
be seen that a special revelation upon the 
subject must be forthcoming. But a revela- 
tion demanding a change so radical in its 
nature, could only be excused, even to the 
faithful, on the grounds of an entirely 
new epoch in the Church's history; and this 
in turn could consist only with a change of 
name. 

As to their practices up to this time, plu- 
rality of wives in its literal sense was not al- 
lowed. Those sealed were not called literal 
wives, but only spiritual, giving the husband 
no marital rights. Still, as stated by Elder 

Hyde, "It may well be doubted whether the 
73 



MORMONISM. 



woman who can prefer another man for her 
husband in eternity, might not prefer him 
also in time." 

By marriage for the dead, living persons are 
sealed to the dead, some one standing proxy 
for the dead person. Thus they might love 
each other well enough for time, but not for 
eternity, in which case they are sealed to dif- 
ferent ones for the other world. Again they 
may be sealed for time, then each, by proxy, 
to a departed one for eternity, thus requiring 
three distinct ceremonies to settle the pres- 
ent and future relations of the parties, who 
may, after all, be divorced either by the Head 
of the Church or the civil courts. A man ? 
might have a wife for time, who has a man 
already dead, for her husband in eternity. In 
this case all the children reared in this fam- 
ily were considered the children of the living 
and real father in time, but in eternity would 
pass over to the eternal husband. 

I mention this to show to what an extent 
74 



MORMONISM. 



these impostors have led their deluded fol- 
lowers into things purely imaginary. Yet all 
this is offered in the name of religion, claim- 
ing Divine authority for things too absurd to 
be believed by any mind not already disor- 
dered by religious enthusiasm. Women do 
not uphold the idea of polygamy except 
through the threats of death for disobedience, 
or through their blind faith in the doctrines 
of the church. 



75 



CHAPTER VIII. 



We will now return to the history of the 
Church after its settlement in Hancock coun- 
ty. In less than eighteen months after the 
settlement was begun there were erected 
more than two thousand buildings, includ- 
ing two school buildings and the temple. 
They were exultant over their condition. 
They were wealthy, and as yet all was peace. 
Early in 1841 their membership had been 
augmented by seven hundred and sixty-nine 
converts brought from England by Brigham 
Young. The other apostles had also met 
with great success. 

* Had they been content to re main what they 
claimed to be, viz., a purely religious com- 
munity, all might have been well in so far as 
their temporal prosperity was concerned. 

But not content with peace and prosperity as 
76 



MORMONISM. 



a church, they became ambitious as a politi- 
cal power. Smith, as we have seen, con- 
trolled the entire vote of the Church. Not 
only did he dictate who should fill the county 
offices, but, holding the balance of power be- 
tween the dominant political parties, he di- 
rected the congressional vote in that district. 

Aside from the fact that this is entirely 
too much power for one man to wield in our 
free commonwealth, Smith was unfit to exer- 
cise such power anywhere. As his political 
influence increased he became more arrogant 
and dictatorial toward all the parties around 
him. His own subjects regarded him as lit- 
tle less than a god, and he began to act as 
though he expected the same homage from 
all others. He soon became so imperative in 
his demands upon the political parties that 
needed his support, and was also so treacher- 
ous to those whom he engaged to support, 
that they, with one accord, declared him to 

be a " hypocritical scalawag, with more devil 
77 



MORMONISM. 



than saint in his make-up, and more fit for 
hell than leadership." 

Indignant at this loss of confidence and 
patronage, he encouraged, or at least permit- 
ted, his followers to plunder the " Gentiles," 
robbing corn-cribs, smoke-houses and barns. 
When they found nothing to steal, they re- 
sorted to burning hay and wheat stacks, and 
annoying them in every conceivable manner. 

In 1844 Smith received (?) a command 
from God to preside over the nation as well 
as the Church, and so forthwith announced 
himself as candidate for the Presidency of 
the United States. The saints, all forgetful 
of the privileges they were now enjoying as 
special favors at the hands of the other par- 
ties, united enmasse in the support of their 
much adored leader. Though Joseph Smith 
was defeated as President of the United 
States, he was still the ruler of several thous- 
ands of deluded followers, who now, by their 

own act, had separated themselves from all 
78 



MORMONISM. 



party alliances. Standing alone, there was 
no restraint upon their political actions, and 
Nauvoo became a far worse " plague spot on 
the body politic " than Jackson county, Mis- 
souri. 

If Smith's political aspirations were com- 
pelled to decline at this point, his licentious 
proclivities clearly increased. A woman 
who, with two small girls, made her escape 
from Nauvoo, said: "Nauvoo is nearer like 
hell than any other place on earth can be. 
None who have any regard for virtue, would 
stay there a day if they thought they could 
get away with their lives. Doubtful mem- 
bers are closely watched by a band of organ- 
ized police, called 6 Danites.' I have known 
many to start, but soon a party of Danites 
would start in pursuit. Generally the pur- 
sued were never again heard from. This 
fear of death keeps numbers of their follow- 
ers from deserting/ ' 

She continued. " All the leaders are more 
79 



MORMONISM. 



or less guilty of the most gross violations of 
the laws of decency, but Joe Smith is the 
most perfect monster of licentiousness that 
ever an allwise Grod permitted to live. I 
have often wondered why he was permitted 
to live. Not content with the ordinary forms 
of indecency, he seems always inventing 
some new and more odious forms. I know 
he has ruined hundreds, yes, hundreds of 
young girls, besides debauching scores of 
other men's wives, and I doubt if five hun- 
dred would cover the number of his illegiti- 
mate children," 

This greed for other men's wives was the 
final cause of Smith's death and the expul- 
sion of the Mormons from Nauvoo. I quote 
from a work before me, called " Miseries and 
Mysteries," to which I am also indebted for 
some of the dates that I could not readily 
recall. 

" In 1845 Joseph Smith had a longing for 

the wife of William Law, one of the most el- 

80 



MORMONISM. 



oquent preachers in the church. This lady 
was very beautiful, and her husband devot- 
edly attached to her. He was also a firm be- 
liever in the doctrines of the Church until his 
domestic happiness was interfered with by 
i Smith's "Sealing Law." Smith insisted on 
having Law's wife sealed to himself spiritu- 
ally; which in fact meant two husbands, for 
Smith designed to play the part of one. 
Law made strong objections, but Smith, by 
means of his 'Danite Band,' took her by 
force as a Spiritual companion,' and of 
course put her to such use as his infamous 
lust desired. This was the beginning of all 
that followed. Death, desolation and de- 
struction." 

Law now raised a rebellion in the church. 
He easily found others who were smarting 
and chafing under similar grievances, who 
aided him in establishing an anti-Smith pa- 
per in Nauvoo. Smith was at this time 

Mayor of the city. Immediately after the 
81 



MORMONISM. 



first issue of the paper, a mob came into the 
office by force, and, in violation of all law, 
destroyed all the material and wrecked the 
building. Law then tried to have writs 
served on Smith and his council, but the 
civil authority was all in Mormon hands and 
he obtained no redress. Such proceedings, 
however, had by this time aroused the peo- 
ple of Hancock county, and had brought 
them to see what a law-defying people they 
had in their midst, and now did they bitterly 
regret that they had wasted their sympathies 
upon them. The people of Hancock and ad- 
joining counties armed themselves, resolving 
to use force, if necessary, to cleanse the 
county of such an element. The Mormons, 
led by Smith, resisted all arrests and defied, 
all law and order. Several collisions oc- 
curred between the two forces, until at last 
Smith and his city council surrendered. 
After an examination all were released ex- 
cept Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, 
82 



MORMONISM. 



who were lodged in jail. As there were 
some fears that an attempt would be made 
for their forcible release, a guard was placed 
around the jail with instructions to keep them 
in safety and also resist any attempt to injure 
the prisoners. 

A mob was formed who marched upon the 
jail and demanded their surrender. Whether 
the guard were overpowered or were parties 
to the plot is a disputed point, but the result 
was, the cell was opened and Hyrum Smith 
was at once killed. Joseph, in attempting to 
escape by jumping from the window, was 
stunned by the fall, then instantly shot to 
death. Thus the most successful impostor of 
modern times met his death. He, though 
ignorant, superstitious and coarse, yet pos_ 
sessed some natural powers. These if used in 
a right direction, would have made his life a 
benefit to mankind instead of a curse. We will 
close the chapter with a short description of 

Smith as taken from a well-known author. 

83 



MORMONISM. 



"It must not be supposed that this pre- 
tended prophet practiced the tricks of a com- 
mon impostor: that he was dark, gloomy and 
forbidding in appearance; that he wore his 
hair and beard long, that his aspect and car- 
riage were sedate and saintly. He was the 
reverse. Full of levity even to romping like 
a boy, he dressed in fashion like a dandy, 
and sometimes would drink like a sailor, and 
swear like a pirate. 

" Sometimes he was very meek in his de- 
portment, and again as boisterous and rough 
as a highway robber, yet he always managed 
to satisfy his dupes that his conduct was 
right, and becoming the priest and prophet 
that he claimed to be. 

"He always quailed before power, but to 

the weak and helpless he was arrogant in the 

extreme. When it was necessary, in order to 

accomplish some design, he would appear to 

be so exceedingly penitent for his sins that 

he would mourn and cry for forgiveness, and 
84 



MORMONISM. 



appear to suffer the deepest contrition. He 
would entreat with many tears and groans 
that his brethren should pray with and for 
him. His grief would seem so sincere, and 
his penitence so deep that one could scarcely 
believe they were not genuine. But as these 
phenomena always preceded some revelation 
for his benefit, it was soon well understood." 



85 



CHAPTER IX. 



Upon the death of the Smiths, an entire 
change took place among the saints. Smith 
had prophesied that his wife, Emma, would 
bear a son who would again build up Zion 
on the ancient site of Eden, in Jackson 
county, Mo. But an immediate head of the 
hierarchy was needed. Bitter were the 
strifes indulged in by more than twenty dif- 
ferent aspirants to the leadership. Each 
could give what he thought to be indisputa- 
ble reasons why he should wear the mantle 
of the deceased prophet. On the 17th of 
October, 1845, an assemblage of all the eccles- 
iastical members met and decided that the 
twelve apostles should select one of their 
number as ruler. As the result of this decis- 
ion, Bkigham Young was pronounced the 
man to be the chief potentate of the Church. 



MORMONISM. 



At this decision many rebelled. Some 
followed Kigdon to Pennsylvania, where he 
tried to establish a church, some followed other 
leaders, and some, who had not taken all the 
"oaths" required, withdrew. (To some of 
this latter class I owe much for information 
as to what occurred at this period.) 

Brigham began the aggressive by secretly 
obtaining arms and ammunition. Nauvoo 
was now a city of fifteen thousand inhabi- 
tants, and now became the scene of fierce 
contentions. What force could not do was 
accomplished by secret assassination, arson 
and persecution. Everybody, both Saint 
and Gentile, went armed, and no one's life 
was secure. 

Governor Ford made a detail of men to 
keep order, but all was confusion, and it 
daily became more evident that the war 
cloud was about to break. But no one could 
tell whether Mormon or Gentile would strike 
first. 

87 



MORMONISM. 



Toward the close of 1845, some of the most 
bitter enemies of the Saints in the adjoining 
counties, resolved to assist their friends in 
Hancock county to rid themselves of the nui- 
sance that they found the Saints to be. Ac- 
cordingly they warned some of the leaders to 
emigrate, and these as promptly refused to 
heed the warning. Some hundreds or more 
Mormon homes were burned, and occupants 
were compelled to leave for fear of death 
which was threatened. In retaliation for 
this, the Nauvoo " Legion " traversed all the 
public highways and many by-ways, wreak- 
ing vengeance alike on friend and foe. All 
that was needed in order to come under the ban 
was to be a Gentile. They killed many men, set 
fire to houses, barns, and stacks of hay or 
grain — anything to have revenge. 

The war was now begun in earnest, and it 

was evident to the most sanguine of the 

Saints that another exodus was near at hand. 

Brigham Young sent some of his most trusty 
88 



MORMONISM. 



followers in search of a new place to plant 
Zion. A place was sought which was so isolated 
that they would have no fear of molestation 
from neighbors. These men, after many- 
months of weary wandering and searching, 
thought that Weber Valley, in Utah, would be 
a suitable place. Here they would have no 
neighbors to trouble them, unless the Indians 
should prove troublesome, and of them they 
had less fear than of the foes they now con- 
fronted. 

As removal or destruction seemed the only 
alternatives, they chose the former. At this 
period, however, Young still appealed to the 
State and National authorities for protection 
for his people, but received no assurance of 
aid from either. Accordingly, as a last resort, 
an order was issued in January, 1846, com- 
manding the removal to Utah. Of course, there 
was a direct revelation from God which bade 
all the Saints of the Most High to gather all 

their substance and build up Zion anew. 
89 



MORMONISM. 



In pursuance of this edict, the Mormons 
sold their property in Nauvoo and in Han- 
cock, Adams, Schuyler and McDonough coun- 
ties at a great sacrifice, and before the mid- 
dle of 1846, twenty-five thousand of these 
greatly abused, but worse deluded people 
were on the weary march to build again the 
walls of Zion. 

Nine hundred remained in Nauvoo until 
the next fall, when some State troops at- 
tacked them and compelled them to leave the 
State. Some of these went to St. Louis and 
remained there about two years. They after- 
wards joined their brethren in Salt Lake City. 

The trials of these earnest, but sadly mis- 
taken people in the long, rough journey from 
Nauvoo to Utah, have become a part of the 
history of the country which nearly all have 
read. But only those who bore the trials 
know what they had to undergo. Such fine 
examples of pluck and perseverance are well 

worthy of a better cause. Of the numbers 
90 



MORMONISM. 



that left Nauvoo, less than one-half reached 
Utah. At one camping place seven hundred 
died. Five hundred able-bodied men enlisted 
in the army for war with Mexico. Many 
more engaged as farm hands in Iowa, and all 
along the way they fell out of the ranks in 
search of employment or in death, which 
claimed the greater part of them. 

A lady who went with them on this dreary 
march, says, "When we started we had ox 
teams and wagons. We went in companies 
of ten wagons, a captain over every ten, and 
Brigham Young commander of all; but as the 
cattle died or were needed for food, many 
were destitute of any means of travel, until 
at last all were obliged to join the 'hand cart 
division ' as it was called. 

" Brigham had a new revelation to the ef- 
fect that we were to disencumber ourselves 
of everything except what could be carried 
on a hand cart, and ordered a cart to be made 

for each family, regardless of numbers. So 
91 



MORMONISM. 



we were obliged to carry all the clothing, 
cooking utensils, and all that we possessed on 
our backs and in our cart. 

"It was not as hard for us as for some 
others. Our family consisted of only three 
members, husband and I having only one 
child. But it was hard to see a man and 
wife both sick, and ready almost to drop at 
any time, yet with two, and often three chil- 
dren too small and weak to walk. Of course 
there was no way but to put them on the al- 
ready heavy laden cart, and to drag along un- 
til kind death relieved them. It was scenes 
like this that began to stagger my faith, and, 
firm believer as I was, when I would see some 
of the dignitaries of the Church ride past us 
in their carriages, or on sleek, well-fed horses, 
and their own appearance so well denoting that 
they did not suffer with cold or hunger like 
their poor, unfortunate followers, I could not 
but ask myself if they were really the priests 

of Grod, why this disparity of circumstances?" 
92 



MORMONISM. 



The sufferings and privations that fell so 
heavily on those travelers, had the effect of 
causing many to leave them. Mormonism is 
a plant that flourishes in fair weather. 
When the skies are bright, and crowds are 
gathering into the fold, it is then that its 
votaries are happy; and it shows forth to the 
best advantage. Then its members can be 
led by new revelations in almost any way. 
But when trials come thick and fast, and fa- 
tigue, cold, hunger and death of friends and 
relatives combine to dishearten and discour- 
age, it requires a power greater than Mormon 
revelations to keep one from fainting by the 
way. 

Some were in favor of trying to re-estab- 
lish themselves in some of the states, and 
left for that purpose. Some renounced the 
faith, claiming if the Mormon Church was 
what they taught, the only true Church, and 
ordained of God, that He never would have 

allowed such afflictions to come upon them. 
93 



MOBMONISM. 



They reasoned that it was strange that God 
would select so many different places to build 
Zion, at each point having his purposes over- 
thrown by man. 

Arguments like these had the effect of 
reducing the number to less than four thous- 1 
and. These followed Brigham Young, and 
became the nucleus around which gathered 
the great Mormon settlement of Utah. 



94 



CHAPTER X. 



By the time the Mormons arrived in Utah r 
| food was so scarce that they suffered much 
j until the first crop was gathered. This 
proved a bountiful one, and as the soil was 
fine and the climate favorable, they ever after 
this were prosperous. Soon they began 
again to increase in numbers and wealth, and 
also in iniquity. 

During the mad rush to California in the 
beginning of the gold excitement, thousands 
of emigrants to the gold fields from their far 
eastern homes, stopped on their way at Salt 
Lake City for rest and refreshment. For a 
time they were very kindly received by the 
Saints, but as the Gentile population began 
to increase, the Saints became arrogant once 
more, and seemed determined to be revenged 

on all Gentiles for what they had suffered. 

95 



MORMONISM. 



Various atrocities were practiced upon these 
helpless wayfarers among them. All who 
were not Mormons came under the same 
condemnation, but while petty annoyances 
were practiced openly, most of their desper- 
ate work was done in the disguise of Indians. 
We have not the space in this work to enum- 
erate the outrages and horrible murders com- 
mitted: but will refer the reader to the history 
of what is known as the Mountain Meadow 
Massacre, which occurred Sept. 17, 1857, 
Here one hundred and thirty men, women 
and children, who composed a party of emi- 
grants from Arkansas, were murdered in cold 
blood, by the directions, and with the full 
knowledge of Brigham Young. This was 
the Governor, President and High Priest of a 
body now sending missionaries among us, 
under the guise of evangelists, for what they 
term the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter 
Day Saints!" We can but wonder if these 

were saints, what does it require to make 

96 



MORMONISM. 

devils? The question arises: Ought we to 
encourage them by the use of houses to 
preach in, or patronize them with our attend- 
ance? 

We will now call the reader's attention 
once more to the subject of polygamy, for it 
was really at this time that the practice 
became established among the Mormons. 

As before stated, the Book of Mormon 
forbids a plurality of wives, but after the 
Church had a secure foothold in Utah, Brig- 
ham Young revised the creed of the Church 
to suit himself. He told his people that Joe 
Smith had, in 1843, received a revelation 
direct from Grod, in which he was commanded f 
to establish polygamy as a Divine ordinance 
in the Church. This law, according to Smith's 
revelation, was to take effect in 1852. At 
least Brigham Young so stated, and de- 
clared that he had received a written copy of 
said revelation, but was not to make it known 

until the time had fully come for it to go into 
97 



MORMONISM. 



effect. A quotation of the whole oracle, as 
read by Brigham Young, would be tiresome 
to the reader, but a verse or two may here be 
given. 

"Verily thus sayeth the Lord, unto you 
my servant Joseph. That inasmuch as you 
have inquired at my hands to know wherein 
I, the Lord, justified my servants, Abraham, 
Isaac and Jacob, as also Moses, David and 
Solomon, my servants, touching the principle 
and doctrine of their having many wives and 
concubines, behold, and lo! I am the Lord 
and will answer thee as touching this matter," 
etc. Then follows a long account of how the 
plurality is to be regulated, giving Smith full 
power to take wives from the unworthy, and 
give them to those more deserving, also 
appointing a penalty for wives who object to 
their husbands taking more wives. Also 
pointing out the duty of all the faithful to 
take to themselves additional wives as they 
had the means of support; showing the supe- 



MOKMONISM. 



Tior exaltation in the other world of all who 
would obey their command and avail them- 
selves of its benefits. 

The reader can scarcely fail to notice that 
ihis revelation came in direct answer to 
inquiry on the subject. It would seem as if 
the prophet had some personal concern in 
the question as to whether the Lord would 
justify him in doing all that the patriarchs 
did. We are even led to wonder if it would 
have been revealed at all had not earnest in- 
quiry been made. Some good Mormons think 
it would not. If that is the case, all good peo- 
ple will join in regretting that any questions 
were asked. We are left to doubt whether the 
God who gave this revelation was the same * 
who inspired the writers of the Book of Mor- 
mon, where it is so clearly contradicted; or 
whether the change was made expressly for 
the accommodation of the faithful. Unable 
to solve this problem, we wait for an explan- 
ation from any of the defenders of the faith. 
99 



MORMONISM. 



To quote again: "To those who are obe- 
dient to this command, it is promised they 
shall be gods having no end, above all, and 
they shall have all power, and the angels 
shall be subject to them: also they shall rule 
over those who have not obeyed this revela- 
tion." 

Some of the Mormons now deny the 
authenticity of this revelation, but it is as 
good as any of the creed they follow. At 
least they had enough confidence in its 
authenticity to practice its teachings until 
restrained by the laws of the United States. 



100 



CHAPTER XI. 

Much has been said in favor of Mormons 
because of their industry. They have, it is 
J true, done wonders in the way of improve- 
ment. They found a place that was a wil- 
derness indeed, and under their skill and 
energy it has become a fruitful land. They 
converted a desert into a thriving city. Per- 
haps the greatest achievement is the Mor- 
mon "Tabernacle" built at a cost of nearly 
eight million dollars. But this could all 
\ have been done by any united body of equal 
J numbers without the disgusting elements 
that go to make up this infamous hierarchy. 
When we consider the degradation to which 
the masses are reduced, and how the digni- 
taries of the church have amassed fortunes 
while many of their dupes live in squalid 

poverty, we are led to conclude that this 
101 



MORMONISM. 



great improvement was bought at too dear a 
price. 

Salt Lake City has more millionaires to 
its population than any other city in the 
United States, and all of them are officials in 
the Mormon Church. Who will say that this , 
prosperity, even if it extended to all Mor- 
mons, is sufficient to repay even a tithe of the 
sorrow of ruined homes, debauched wives 
and disgraced daughters, who are kept in 
bondage partly out blind faith in the infalli- 
bility of the Church, but more through fear 
of death? 

Even some of my relatives, in trying to 

desert the Mormons, barely escaped with 

their lives. One of them, Thos. B. Marsh, $ 

was pursued by twenty men, armed with 

Winchester rifles. His only offense was that 

he knew too much of the inner workings of 

the Church, having been one of the twelve 

Apostles. Temporal prosperity can never 

make such a people happy. 

102 



MORMONISM. 



Also, where is the credit for rearing such 
costly edifices, when one knows they are to 
be used for purposes of shame? When we 
think for what uses some parts of the great 
tabernacle are designed, it destroys all admi- 
ration for its elegance, and fills our minds 
with loathing and disgust. Here the "En- 
dowment House" ceremonies, before referred 
to, are performed. But more horrible still is 
the "Blood Atonement Room." 

This room is in the basement, whose triple 
walls prevent the moans and prayers of the 
victims of this horrid ceremony from being 
heard by any one. save those who, having the 
form of humanity, yet have the heart of 
fiends of the darkest hell. Owing to the pro- 
found secrecy of execution, it is impossible 
to give a recital of the crimes committed un- 
der this diabolical law. About all we know 
is, that there is such a law, and a place pre- 
pared for its absolutely private execution. 

Further facts of the heinousness of its oper- 
103 



MORMONISM. 



ation can be gotten from Mormon utterances 
relative to the nature of the law itself, some 
of which we will quote for this purpose, as 
also to prove the reality of its existence. 
Hear Brigham Young: "I could tell you of 
many men who have been justly and right- i 
eously slain for their sins. When you hear 
my brethren talk of cutting people off from 
the earth, you must consider that it is to save 
their souls, making an atonement for them 
by their blood. If you love your neighbor 
as yourself you will help him if he needs 
help. If it is necessary to spill his blood on 
the ground in order to save his soul, you 
ought to spill it. It is true that the Son of i 
God shed His blood for the sins of the fall, , 
yet men commit sins that His blood can 
never remit. I have known men who have 
apostatized from this church, that have now 
no chance for salvation. But if their blood 
had been spilled it would have made an atone- 
ment for the sin, and their souls saved by it. 
104 



MOKMONISM. 



"There are sins that can be atoned for by 
the offering of a lamb or a dove, as in an- 
cient days. But there are sins that must be 
atoned for by the blood of the transgressor, 
and that alone can make the atonement. I 
have known scores and hundreds of people 
for whom there would have been a chance in 
the last resurrection if their blood had been 
spilled on the ground as a smoking incense 
to the Almighty, but who are now angels to 
the devil." 

Now I ask my readers, How does this 
comport with the teachings of Holy Writ? 
We, as Christian people learn from the Bible 
that the blood of the Son of God is sufficient 
to atone for all the sins of Adam's race. Yet 
these infallible expounders of God's Word 
tell us that it is insufficient, and that a per- 
son's own blood can accomplish what the 
blood of Christ can not. Now I ask in all 
candor, Is not this blasphemy? If not, what 
is? 

^05 



MORMONISM. 



But this brings us to the present period in 
the history of the Mormon Church, and so it 
is time to close our history proper. 

Doubtless the reader who has followed us 
along thus far, has noticed how the Book of 
Mormon had its origin in the finding some 
plates on which were written characters. 
Next, Priestly's book, suggesting that they 
were historical characters, perhaps written 
by some of the ten lost Tribes of Israel. 
Then Spaulding's imaginary History, and 
also his story that the romance was written 
on plates and buried. Then the disappear- 
ance of the manuscript of the story. After- 
wards the appearance of the same narrative 
in the Book of Mormon, after it had passed 
through the hands of the Seer Smith and his 
fellow conspirators, Oowdry and Eigdon. 

We think any one can see that it was a 
fraud from first to last. That it began as fic- 
tion, was secured by fraud, published by 

false pretense, and yet reveals no new relig- 
106 



MORMONISM. 



ion, no new plan of salvation, and is really 
nothing on which to build a new sect or 
creed, if it were true. It is even insufficient 
for the purpose of the Mormon Church it- 
self. As proof of this, notice that a new and 
distinct revelation was needed as often as a 
new form of iniquity presented itself to the 
prophet of this new dispensation. 

Thus it will be seen that the claims of the 
book were, after all, but a poor excuse for an 
unprincipled man to gain a few followers, 
then as his evil inclinations led him on, he 
claimed revelation after revelation as was 
needed to suit the occasion. 

Now having given a short but true ac- 
count of the origin of the book, and a brief 
sketch of the early history of the Church, I 
leave this part of my work. But having 
somewhat more to say of the practices and 
character of this people in their present or- 
ganized work, I refer you to a short appen- 
dix. 

107 



APPENDIX. 



ARTICLE I. 

We are often told by some that the Mor- 
mons are a harmless people, and that in all 
fairness we should treat them as sincere, well 
meaning ones, who honestly differ from us, 
and that we should let them use our houses 
as places of worship, and admit them, as 
Christian ministers, to our fire-sides and into 
our family circles. As to the advisability of 
such a course, let a few facts tell. 

Parley P. Pratt, a noted Mormon leader, 
(whose "Voice of Warning" we have quoted 
in this work as Mormon authority) lost his 
life in this wise. About the year 1848, while 
on a missionary tour through Southern Ar- 
kansas, he was received into the house of a 
man by the name of McLean. Here, as 

usual, in the absence of the husband, he pro- 
108 



MORMONISM. 



ceeded to instruct the wife in the name of 
religious truth, that, inasmuch as she and 
her husband were not united in marriage by- 
Mormon authority, they are living in adul- 
tery. With these and other arts, known only 
to Mormon science, he persuaded the woman 
to leave her once happy home and elope with 
him to Utah. McLean followed so hotly on 
the trail that at Van Buren, Ark., Pratt left 
his prize and fled into the Indian Territory, 
hoping that McLean would now be satisfied 
with the recovery of his wife, and leave off 
the pursuit. But the abused husband's blood 
was up, and following on with sleuth-hound 
determination, he overtook Pratt, and shot 
him to death not far from the Territory line. 
McLean then allowed his deserting wife to 
go to Utah alone and unrestrained. But his 
home was ruined, and we dare say here is one 
man who regrets the hospitality accorded to 
a Mormon elder. 

I will relate another incident: 
109 



MORMONISM. 



At Potean Switch, Indian Territory, near 
Ft. Smith, Ark., (which is their present head- 
quarters for Ark.,) two Mormon mission- 
aries succeeded in alluring from their homes 
three young girls, daughters of different par- 
entage. Fortunately for the misguided ones, 
after they had their clothing packed, and a& 
they were just arriving at the pre-arranged 
place of meeting where the Mormons were in 
waiting, the fathers of two of the girls came 
upon the scene. They were armed with 
shot guns, and by threats of instant death, 
induced these fiends in human form to beat 
a very hasty retreat. 

Many other very well authenticated instances 
of such treachery might be given, but we will 
only add that so well is this feature of their mis- 
sionary efforts understood, that through these 
parts nearly every family is already becoming 
careful of their hospitality to strangers. 
Of course such caution often re-acts sadly on 

the heads of innocent and deserving travelers. 
110 



MHRMONISM. 



ARTICLE II. 

One thing of which these men boast 
greatly is the morality of Utah, claiming, as 
an instance, that prostitution is almost entirely 
unknown in Utah, except among the Gen- 
tiles. But if this is the case, they have 
changed very greatly since 1881, when vis- 
ited by a correspondent of the " Inter Ocean," 
who says, "I affirm on my personal knowl- 
edge that no people on earth are so lacking 
in virtue as the Mormons. I was assured by 
the most prominent citizens of Salt Lake 
City (Gentiles of course) that prostitution 
was more prevalent among Mormon than 
among Gentile girls. 

"I had no means of verifying this state- 
ment, but in our wanderings after nightfall, 
chaperoned by a distinguished advocate, in 
numbering the prostitutes we saw, I found 
myself in the condition of the Indian who 
tried to number the white people in America 

by making a notch in a stick for each one he 
111 



MORMONISM. 



saw. All these women were not Mormons, 
but nine-tenths of them were, or had been; 
most of them, however, having been dis- 
graced in the church, and now thrown out, 
were of course counted Gentiles. A large 
number had left the church after discovering 
the infamy of the leaders, but now fallen, 
could not again enter the society from 
whence they were taken, and so abandoned 
themselves to this life of shame." 

I will further add that after disposing of 
these wrecked ones in this way, these same 
smooth tongued fiends who were the first in- 
struments of their downfall, disperse them- 
selves in all parts of the world, using the 
same wiles to get others to fill their places. 
E. D. Pierce (author of "Twenty-Five Years 
on the Frontier,") who was with General 
Harney in Utah when the United States 
troops were sent to keep order in 1856 and 
1857, and remained with that division of the 

army during its entire stay there, has given 
112 



MORMONISM. 



me some valuable information on this feature 
of Mormon life. He said: " When it comes 
to immorality, some of the Mormon elders 
take the lead of anything I ever saw. It can 
be proven by many soldiers that more than 
one Mormon elder, who had from five to 
seven wives, would offer to sell their services 
as prostitutes to the soldiers. When asked 
what the women say to such a sale of their 
persons, he said: 'Mormon women have to 
do anything their husbands say. What use 
has a man for any kind of stock if it brings 
him no money?' I could tell yc . many 
things that I saw while with the army in Utah 
that, though true, would seem incredible to 
one who had never been there. Some are ex- 
tremely ludicrous, but too disgusting to tell 
you. Suffice it to say they could hardly be 
excelled this side of the infernal regions." 

ARTICLE III. 

Another boast is their sobriety and tern- 
113 



MORMONISM. 

perance in the use of ardent spirits. Let us 
hear from Mr. Pierce on this subject: "You 
can hear it said by Mormon preachers that 
Salt Lake City has no saloons, poor-houses 
or houses of ill-fame. The truth is, when I 
was there, there were more than forty saloons, 
and most of them of the lowest type; houses 
of ill-fame, at least twenty-five, and I will tell 
why they have no poor-houses supported by 
the church. When the members of the 
church become so poor that they can not 
support themselves and contribute liberally 
to the church fund, at least their tithe (one- 
tenth) they are then declared apostates. 
That means that they are then thrown out- 
side of the influences or care of the church 
that has robbed them of all it could, and 
then, like the rind of a lemon, deprived of its 
juice and thrown away, they are left to the 
tender mercies of an unfeeling world." If 
this is sobriety, or morality, or charity, then 

wre have never learned the right meaning of 
114 



MORMONISM. 



these terms. "But," say the missionaries 
now abroad, when these things are referred 
to, "Oh! that is all a lie, gotten up to preju- 
dice people against us." I answer: Not 
only is this strictly true, and my word as a 
Christian gentleman is responsible for it, but 
not half the truths I could tell, are here told 
for the want of space. I will add that they 
are the last persons who should talk of false- 
hood, when they know (or ought to know, at 
least) that their whole fabric is a falsehood, 
from the imaginary plates, all the way down 
to the latest pretended revelation. 

ARTICLE IV. 

It has been said that there are no poor 

among the Mormons; that all are cared for,* 

that there is an equality among them that 

it would be well for others to imitate. On 

this subject, let us hear a correspondent to 

the "Inter Ocean," (which, by the way, iff 

one among the most reliable of all the secu- 
115 



MORMONISM. 



lar papers) : " In painful contrast to the 
sumptuousness displayed by the President 
and his council of church bishops, are the 
working members who contribute their pos- 
sessions so bounteously, in order that the 
official drones may appear in lavish elegance. 
Nine-tenths of the communicants are wretch- 
edly poor. In fact their surroundings are 
little less than squalid. Especially is this 
true of the farming class, nearly all of whom 
live in adobe huts, and subsist on the refuse 
of the vegetables after the saleable parts are 
disposed of for the benefit of the church, and 
on the poorest part of the meat left them af- 
tei the tithings are paid. 

''In the country about Salt Lake you 
may find many families crowded together in 
small space, and living like hogs. Often a 
man has five or six wives and a score or 
more children, and all with but one or two 
rooms in which to eat and sleep, and such 

disgusting sensuality is practiced as would 
116 



MORMONISM. 



inevitably result from these conditions. It 
would indeed be strange if, in such an inde- 
cent state of society, every delicate and hon- 
orable state of feeling were not suppressed 
altogether, until the children should grow up 
like beasts, governed only by their animal 
propensities." 

article v. 

As there is no little agitation on the sub- 
ject of the political rights of women, and in 
order to gain the favor of women who do not 
know them, Mormons declare themselves as 
favoring and granting female suffrage. This 
certainly is a master stroke of impudence 
from a body of people who declare (to use 
their own language) "A Mormon woman 
must do as her husband says/' It is quite 
likely indeed that a Mormon husband would 
dispose of his wife's person promiscuously at 
his will, and yet allow her to dispose of her 

ballot to suit her own wishes! Not much. 
117 



MOKMONISM. 



It is true, Mormon wives do have a right to 
vote in any election in Utah, yet instead of 
its being a benefit to her, all of the benefits 
accrue to the husband. Since all Mormon 
wives are held in perfect subjection to their 
husbands, the female ballots are only proxies. 
Every ballot is numbered before depositing 
in the ballot box, so that the precise way in 
which each vote is cast can be easily ascer- 
tained. Thus a wife, while she is told before 
becoming a Mormon, that she will have the 
right of suffrage in common with her hus- 
band, finds afterward that in reality, she is 
only a machine that makes her husband's 
vote count two instead of one. 

The iniquity of this vassalage system can 
be more fully understood, when we bear in 
mind that in Utah nearly all law, except 
Mormon law, is to a great extent a dead let- 
ter. If proof is needed, take this fact as an 
instance. There is a law against bigamy, yet 

at this time although more than five thousand 
118 



MORMONISM. 



men are living in polygamy in the territory, 
there are few convictions for the crime. And 
in case of violent death no matter what sus- 
picions attach, unless the victim have influ- 
ential friends, very little, if any, notice is 
taken of it. The officers of law when not 
Mormons themselves, are subsidized by Mor- 
mon votes and intimidated by Mormon 
power. 

ARTICLE VI. 

For some reason the opinion is gaining 
prevalence that Mormonism is dying out 
through the cankering effects of its own 
vices; that if left alone it will die of itself. 
No doubt they themselves help to create that 
impression, in order to allay somewhat the 
agitation against them. But it is all a mis- 
take, and a great mistake too. There can be 
no doubt that it is growing stronger each 
year. 

In 1882 there were 4,903 Mormon emi- 
119 



MORMONISM. 



grants to Utah from Europe alone, besides 
nearly that number of converts gained in 
this country. In the time from 1882 to 1888, 
the yearly acquisition was little short of 
4,000. Since that time to 1896 it has greatly 
increased. 

As there are 180,000 Mormons in Utah 
alone, and more than one-half of the men 
who are heads of families, have more than 
one wife, it is no uncommon thing to find 
forty or more children claiming one father. 
They must be acknowledged the most prolific 
people on earth. Thus you can readily see 
that the increase by birth alone would be 
enough to prosper the church. 

Of the 4,903 converts received from Europe 

in 1882, 3,000 were women. Of the men 

composing the remainder of this foreign 

influx, less than one-third could read and 

write. What the result of such a mass of 

illiteracy in the hands of an unscrupulous 

priesthood will be, you may well consider. 
120 



MORMONISM. 



It is folly for us to close our eyes to these 
terrible facts and say, No matter, it is only a 
religious organization. Religion has no part 
in this whole political scheme, save to draw 
men and women into the hands of a tyranni- 
cal party, after which all of both sexes are 
converted into a voting machine to register 
the dictatorial wishes of the supreme head of 
this political hierarchy. 

The stakes of Zion are not all confined to 
one place, There are large colonies in 
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, 
New Mexico and elsewhere, besides small 
colonies in Iowa, Minnesoto, Kansas and 
Nebraska. Also there are few large cities 
within the bounds of the United States which 
do not have Mormon places of worship, which 
they employ as headquarters from which to 
conduct operations. The total membership 
now in the United States can not be less than 
five hundred thousand; but probably far ex- 
ceeds that number. 

121 



MORMONISM. 



We can now see the enormous conse- 
quences calculated upon by the church, 
when application was made for Statehood 
under the name of Deseret. If it had been 
permitted, they would have claimed all the 
rights of a State to make their own State 
laws and to choose their own legislative and 
executive officers. Thus entrenched they 
could not have been so readily reached by 
the United States power, as when in 1856 it 
became necessary to send troops under Gren. 
W. S. Harney to preserve order in their 
midst, and to enable the territorial officers to 
perform their duties. Of course it is impos- 
sible to say just what use they would have 
made of such rights, had they been granted, 
but considering their lawless history it is 
easy to guess that such a state would have 
been a leprous star added to the now beauti- 
ful galaxy of our nation. 

ARTICLE VII. 

The Mormon Church is kept up by a vast 
122 



MORMONISM. 



and thorough missionary system. J oe Smith, 
though an uneducated man, seems to have 
intuitively adopted a plan that has met with 
unparalleled success. He adopted a creed so 
liberal on its face as to give no offense to 
those of a discontented mind in other relig- 
ious bodies, and yet seems to have so ar- 
ranged it that the freedom they so much 
desired from tyrannical church laws proved, 
after all, only a claim in disguise. They did 
not see until the chains were fastened how 
strong and galling they were. 

One of the links of this chain of Mormon 
tyranny is the tithing law which compels 
every Mormon to give one-tenth of all his 
acquired substances, whether money or prod- 
ucts. And when in the church work, as 
building the Temple and other church build- 
ings, each tenth day is also required for serv- 
ice. The burden is felt severely, but the 
church income is assured. 

Apostles are sent out to preach to all peo- 
123 



MORMONISM. 



pie. These apostles are selected by revela- 
tion — that is, some times when one is so 
shrewd that the president of the hierarchy- 
thinks he will be likely to gain more influ- 
ence than he ought, he has a revelation, 
directing him to send that one on a mission- 
ary tour to some far off land. They are 
compelled to go forth as those of old, without 
purse or scrip. They receive no pay, nor are 
their families cared for by the Church. 
Sometimes they have to sell some of their 
possessions at a great sacrifice, to get money 
to pay their traveling expenses, and then fre- 
quently they return to find those that they 
left as their wives, appropriated by some 
other man. In this case their only alterna- 
tive is to replace them with the most desira- 
ble of those that they have gained on their 
missionary tour. Even these they may be 
compelled to give up, if the head of the 
church should see fit to require it. 

It seems a strange thing to us that those 
124 



MORMONISM. 



men, seeing the duplicity practiced on them, 
do not leave and denounce the whole craft, 
and warn others to shun the trap in which 
they have been naught. Yet it is no uncom- 
mon thing for those thus sent (to get them 
out of the way) to return with a large num- 
ber of unfortunates, to be in turn duped in 
like manner. 

We can readily see why the basely licen- 
tious ones remain, but what holds those who 
have any sense of right or honor, is not so 
easy to perceive. One man admitted to me 
that if he were to tell me all he knew he 
feared his life would be in danger. He 
begged me not to ask him any questions as 
to the ceremonies of the church. "But," 
said he, " after ten and one-half years among 
them, and having passed through nearly, if 
not all, ceremonies of the Mormon Church, 
I will say this: All the millions of wealth 
now in the hands of the fifteen millionaires 

of Salt Lake City, would be no inducement 

125 



MORMONISM. 



to me to return with my wife and three 
daughters, to live one year." 

This man is now, or was when last heard 
from, a respected citizen of DeKalb county, 
111. These missionaries now traversing the 
length and breadth of our land, saying they are 
gospel ministers. And though they appear 
meek and harmless, and seem to be quiet 
and devoted men, yet they are leaving at 
every house tracts that tell to the careful 
reader that they are wolves in disguise. 
These tracts teach that the Mormon Church 
is the only Divinely instituted church in the 
world. All others are liars and hypocrites, 
having no authority from God to call sinners 
to repentance, or to perform any other ordi- 
nances of the Church of God. That means 
that they alone have authority to preach 
and to baptize, and that no one but those 
ordained of God as they are, can perform 
the marriage ceremony so that it will be legal 
and binding. 

126 



MORMONISM. 



Consequently all not joined by them are 
living in adultery. They tell a woman she is 
not legally married to the one she calls her 
husband, therefore if she sees fit to leave 
him, no law, human or Divine, is broken. 

Thus they make not only our children but 
ourselves and our ancestors for at least sev- 
enteen hundred years, all illegitimates. This 
is charming doctrine to have preached to our 
children! They seem to have overlooked the 
fact that under this teaching, Joe Smith's 
father and mother were not married, or could 
not have been until after Joe was twenty 
years old. Wonder if they were then mar- 
ried? 

ARTICLE VIII. 

When any of the obnoxious things done 
by the Church are spoken of to the mission- 
aries traversing our country, they at once 
assert that these things were innovations of 
Brigham Young, and say: "We are followers 

of Joseph Smith, the founder and true 
127 



MORMONISM. 



prophet of the church." Let us see how 
much is gained by this. Smith was the 
originator of the "incarnated catechism," 
which is too obscene to give, yet he claimed 
it as direct from Grod by revelation. Also 
the "Tabernacle of Faith," or the naked 
wrestling match, to test each other's power 
of resisting temptation; also the "law of 
sealing," or the spiritual wife system, which 
was so directly opposed to the Book of Mor- 
mon, that they discarded the name of Mor- 
mon and took the name of the " Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Further, 
Smith claimed to be led by the Spirit of Grod 
in adopting tests of faith and forms of wor- 
ship for which no authority can be found in 
the Word of Grod. Therefore we conclude 
that after denouncing Brigham Young and 
cleaving to Joseph Smith, their case is no 
better. 

ARTICLE IX. 

In conclusion, in reference to Mormons 
128 



MOKMONISM. 



and Mormonism, I can perhaps do no "better 
than to refer the reader to a few passages of 
Holy Writ for examination and application. 
See Matt. 7:15-20, also 2 Tim. 3:6, next see 
2 Peter 2 :14-15. Many other passages of Script- 
ure are so appropriate that all Bible readers 
will remember them. But apropos to what has 
been quoted, let me caution my readers — be 
constantly ware of those who " creep into 
houses." 

We can all use common hospitality, and 
should do so, but it should be with caution, 
lest a mistake at this point destroy the peace 
of that blessed spot which should be every 
man's earthly paradise. 

If these missionaries are good, innocent 
men as many claim, I ask, Why do they circu- 
late such pernicious literature, and why do 
they try to gain converts to a system that 
they can but know is all false and corrupt? 
If they are such fools as to believe that God 

gives revelations which plainly contradict all 
129 



MORMONISM. 



He has before given by Divine inspiration, 
then instead of being allowed to preach they 
should be placed in an asylum for the feeble- 
minded. But they do know. They are the 
same kind of men as those that I have heard 
and seen for the past sixty years in New 
York, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. 

With this I will close, once more com- 
mending the work to the kind consideration 
of its readers, as well as to the care of a pure 
and merciful Providence. 



130 



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